Leg attachment for stoves or ranges



y 23, 1933- c. H. HOFFSTETTER El AL LEG ATTACHMENT FOR STOVES OR RANGES Filed Oct. 10, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR PURI- H- HUFPFTETTER ATTO RNEY ay 23, 1933- c. H. HOFFSTETTER El AL 1,910,336

LEG ATTACHMENT FOR STOVES OR RANGES Filed Oct. 10, 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 F'IE- 4- PIE-3 INVENTOR PERL. HHDF'FFTET'fER ROBERT F'FT'ETFER ATTORNEY y 23, 1933- c. H. HOFFSTETTER El AL 1,910,336

LEG ATTACHMENT FOR STOVES OR RANGES Filed Oct. 10, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 ATTO RN EY iatented May 23, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CARL H. HOFFSTETTER AN D ROBERT F. HOFFSTETTER, F PENNSYLVANIA LEG- .arracnmnm ron STOVES on muons Application filed October 10, 1931. Serial No. 568,168.

This invention relates to improvements in leg attachments for stoves,'or ranges, and has for its general object the provision of means for facilitating convenient attachment of the leg to the stove base. Another object of the invention is-to provide a construction whereby a single connecting bolt may be employed to snugly secure the leg and base of the stove together, with little or no danger of the leg being turned or otherwise moved out of centered position with respect to the stove base when the stove is moved about the floor.

Another object of the invention is to provide means for permanently securing a specially designed leg attaching bolt to the stove base in proper position for use in assembling the stove. a

A still further object of the invention 1s to facilitate assembly by the provision of means on the base frame of the stove auxiliary to the attaching bolt, for readily centering or guiding the stove legs to their proper positlon at the four corners of the stove.

Another object of the invention is to mount the top plate of the supporting leg on the upper face of the leg flange and slightly offset from the side walls of the leg so that the lower edge of the enameled front frame, rear and side plates of the stove will not contact with the top of the legs, under vibratory or other movement incident to every day use.

Other objects and features of construct on will be apparent from the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 shows a perspective rear view of a stove corner with aleg attached thereto according to the invention. Fig. 2 is a perspective front view of a leg attached to a stove. Fig.3 is a sectional view on line 33 of Fig. 4, showing the leg attached to the front edge of a stove and Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line H of Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a sectional view on line 55 of Fig. 6 showing a leg attached to the rear corner of the stove, and Fig. 6 a sectional view on line 6-6 of Fig. 5. Figs. 7 8, 9, and 10 show fragmentary perspective views of the main frame, the side wall, the front frame, and the leg in their respective positions before assembly, and Fig.11 a view of the bolt used to connect the leg to the main frame of the stove.

In the construction illustrated, L designates the stove leg, four of which are employed at the respective corners of the base rectangular frame 9 of the stove body S, for supporting the latter.

A though shown in the embodiment illustrated as being of angular form throughout, the body of my improved leg may be of any 39 desirable contour and formed of either pressed sheet or cast metal, however, it is desirable that the top portion of the leg be of substantially triangular shape. The top extremities of the two angularly disposed walls or wings 5 of the leg are provided with inwardly or rearwardly extending horizontally disposed flanges 6 which afford a support for a top plate 8, substantially triangular in shape to conform somewhat closely to the angularity of the leg. This top plate is welded or otherwise suitably secured to the top face of the upper leg flanges 6, the straight side edges 7 of the plate being slight- 1y offset from the outer face of the side walls 5, thus providing a space 40 above the top of the leg and extending inwardly from the side walls 5 thereof to the side edges of the top plate for a purpose hereinafter described.

The base frame 9 of the stove is preferably formed from a single piece or length of angle iron, bent-to rectangular form to provide four sides and corners by which the stove body and legs are respectively connected. The horizontal flanges 11 of angle iron frame 9 are cut to permit bending of the vertical flanges 12 thereof as at 12', to provide the four angles or corners to which the legs are attached. The enameled rear and side walls 13 and front frame 14 of the stove body S W are suitably secured to the base frame, in a manner about to be described. In the case of the'rear and side walls, connection is effected by bending the lower edges thereof to form horizontal flanges 15, which snugly engage and are bolted to the bottom faces of horizontal flanges 11 of the base frame 9, by means of bolts 16. The front frame 14 is secured to the vertical flanges 12 of the base frame by means of bolts or other suitable faspermanently attached to and carried by the base frame. These bolts extend axially through the openings 21 in the upper end portions of the bends 12', which bends are produced in the operation of shaping the base frame into rectangular form. It is essential that the bolts 20 be permanently attached to the base frame, so that they will always be available and in their proper place for instant use in assembling the stove, it

' being the practice for manufacturers to ship the stove body and legs to their dealers disassembled. Withdrawal, or accidental displacement of the bolts from their hanging position in the openings 21, is obviated by making the bolt heads 20 of elongated shape and of larger size than the openings 21. It will thus be seen that withdrawal of the bolts from the openings 21 in one direction is impossible because the heads of the bolts are too large to pass through the openings, whereas attempted withdrawal or tendency to work out in the opposite direction causes the elongated bolt head to jamb against the inner face of front frame 14. Consequently, the bolts 20 cannot be removed without dismantling the body of the stove, or at least loosening the bolt connection between the front frame and the base frame. The lower straight threaded shank portions of the bolts 20 extend through openings 23 in the top plates of the legs and are provided with wing nuts 24: for securely clamping the top plate and base frame together.

Heretofore, for manufacturing reasons, it

has been the practice to extend the top hori- Zontally disposed leg flanges 6 to a suflicient extent to permit of their functioning as an integral top plate. It has also been proposed, in some instances, to Weld a separate top plate to the bottom face of such integral leg flange. However, where these types of top plates have been used, trouble has been encountered in intimately connecting the base with the leg without danger of chipping or marring the enameled side plates of the stove body due to the close fit of the parts. This is avoided in the present construction by mounting the top plate 8 on the top face of the leg flanges in slightly offset relation to the outer faces of the side walls of the legs as previously described, thus providing the space 40. It is of course essential that'the top plate be of slightly greater thickness than i the rear and side enameled walls. The height of space 40 thus provided between the top of the leg and the lower inturned end edges of the enameled walls is sufficient to permit of slight relative rocking or tilting movement of the stove body and leg without danger of injury to the enamel finish of the walls. This space also permits of an ordinary workman assembling the legs and body with little or no danger o chipping or otherwise marring the high finish.

In order to facilitate centering of the legs with respect to the base frame, the flanges 15 of the enameled walls are cut away or recessed at the two sides and rear of the stove, as at 30, to permit the top plate 8 seating directly against the bottom of the base frame at these points. The wall or edge 31 of the angular cut away portion serves as a shoulder or stop which is engaged by one side edge of the top plate during assembly of the parts and also prevents relative turning movement thereof during use. The other side edge of the top plate engages the shoulder or stop 19, which as previously explained, is formed by extending the front frame slightly belowthe bottom face of the base frame. It will thus 'be seen that the stove legs can be readily and accurately positioned relativel base frame and securely fastened in place,

to the by the dealer who receives the stove body and legs disassembled.

To further facilitate the guiding of the legs to proper centering position with rety degrees, thus providing a substantial clearance or space 42 between these side edges 41 and the base and front frames of the stove, which permits of readily sliding the stove leg to centered position. This raised portion of the top plate 8 is preferably indented as best illustrated at 43 in Figure 10 for the pprpose of stiffening and strengthening the p ate.

What we claim, is:

1. A stove or range comprising a rectangular base frame including horizontal portions and angularly bent vertical portions, legs for the corners of said base frame, rectangularly bent means extending pivotally through the bent area of said vertical portions and parallelly arranged thereto for fastening said legs to said base frame and means to secure said connecting means permanently in place.

2. A stove or range comprising a rectangular open base frame having an angularly bent vertical flange extending upwardly from the inner edge of said frame, a single bolt opening in each bend of said flange,-

hook-shaped headed bolts sleeved throu h said openings and extending downward y parallel to said flange, means attached to said base frame for limiting the axial movement of said bolts, legs including a perforated top plate to support the corners of said base frame, and nuts for said bolts to hold the top plates of said legs in contact with said frame.

3. A stove or range comprising an angular base frame, rear and side walls attached to said base frame, angular supporting legs having substantially triangular top plates oflset with respect to the top edges of said legs, stopping means co-operating with the side edges of said top plates for aligning the sides of said legs with the walls of said stove and means for attaching said top plates to said frame.

4. A stove or range comprising a rectangular open base frame having horizontal and vertical portions, a front frame rigidly bolted to said base frame extending slightly beyond the bottom of one of said horizontal portions, flanged rear and side walls attached to the bottom of'said horizontal portions having cutaway portions in their flanges, supporting legs including top plates, said top plates engaging the lower face of said horizontal portions and abutting with their edges said cut-away portions of said walls and said extending flange of said front frame and means secured to said frame and interlocked with said plates to attach said legs to said frame, said top plates being of greater thickattaching the top plates to said frame, said top plates being slightly thicker than said rear and side walls to space said side and rear walls from the upper edges of said legs.

In testimony whereof we afix our signatures.

CARL H. HUFFSTETTER. ROBERT F. HOFFSTETTER.

ness than said side walls to space said legs therefrom.

5. A stove or range comprising an angular base frame, side walls having flanges connected to the bottom of said base frame, said flanges having cut-away portions at their ends, a front frame attached to said base frame and extending slightly below the bottom face thereof, supporting legs having substantially triangular top plates, the side edges of which abut said cut-away portions and the extending part of said front frame I for centering the leg with respect to the corners of said frame, and means for connecting the top plate securely to the base frame.

6. 'A stove or range comprising an angular base frame, rear and side walls having flanges connected to the bottom of said base frame, said flanges being partly cut-away at their ends, angular supporting legs having sub stantially triangular top plates offset with respect to the top edges of said legs, the side edges of said plates abutting the cut-away portions of said flanges and aligning the walls of said legs with said side and rear walls, and means for attaching said top plates to said frame.

7 A stove or range comprising an angular base frame, rear and side walls having-flanges connected to the bottom of said base frame, said flanges having cut-away portions at 

